Automatic gate means for handling thin veneer-type sheets

ABSTRACT

An automatic gate means for mounting over a conveyor means provides for the collecting and aligning of the movement of sideby-side pieces of thin veneer-type materials, such as thin wood veneers from a veneer dryer. The lifting and lowering of the gate means over the conveyor belt is operated responsive to the feed means to the conveyor means, or to the dryer, such that the gate lifting awaits the alignment of a full-width charge of a plurality of pieces on the conveyor. A preferred design and operation incorporates a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;dead&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; roller which lifts and lowers opposite to the movement of the gate so as to insure the positive and rapid movement of veneer pieces from the conveyor, particularly from an upwardly sloping conveyor means.

United States Patent 1 Cady [54] AUTOMATIC GATE MEANS FOR HANDLING THINVENEER-TYPE SHEETS [75] lnventor': Royal C. Carly, Melen, Wis.

[73] Assignee: Universal Oil Products Company,

Des Plaines, Ill.

[22] Filed: May 20, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 145,353

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1916 Cross ..27l/58 8/1966Manger... 71'/50X 9/l97l Nash 271/48 [4 1 May 15, 1973 1,615,590 1 1927Low..... ..271 48 Primary ExaminerEdward A. Sroka .Attorney-James R.Hoatson, Jr. and Philip T.

Liggett [57] I ABSTRACT An automatic gate means for mounting over aconveyor means provides for the collecting and aligning of the movementof side-by-side pieces of thin veneertype materials, such as thin woodveneers from a veneer dryer. The lifting and lowering of the gate meansover the conveyor belt is operated responsive to the feed means to theconveyor means, or to the dryer, such that the gate lifting awaits thealignment of a full-width charge of a plurality of pieces on theconveyor. A preferred design and operation incorporates a dead rollerwhich lifts and lowers opposite to the movement of the gate so as toinsure the positive and rapid movement of veneer pieces from theconveyor,

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures The present gate means may, of course, beutilized for holding and aligning sheet material other than thin woodveneers; however, as heretofore indicated,'such apparatus is ofparticular advantage in handling veneer pieces such as are encounteredin plants that are peeling logs and providing pieces of veneer whichwill be dried, sorted and bundled for transfer to a plywood side-by-sidepieces of relatively flat material, such as wood veneer pieces.

As one example of the utility of the present automatic gate means, thereis the need to align, or straighten out veneer which leaves a dryingunit. There are various commercially available veneer dryers, and feederunits to the dryer, that are adapted to handle cut pieces of veneerwhich are obtained from the prior steps of peeling logs by a suitablelathe and then cutting the peeled veneer into pieces by passage onconveyor means under a vertically mounted clipper knife. The clipper istypically used to cut out knots or blemishes in the veneer as well as tocut the veneer into desired length strips. The cut strips then flow to adryer feeder unit which, in turn, generally introduces one full-widthcharge of veneer pieces at a time into the dryer unit. The feeder hastiming means along with collection and feeding mechanisms such thatthere are the properly timed periodic charges of veneer beingfed intothe dryer unit. Provision may be such that full-width charges of veneergo into the dryer in an orderly fashion; however, due to bow and twistin the dried pieces and because of inclines and varying friction aspectsof different pieces carrying through the different stages within thedryer, the veneer can become disarrayed. ln other words, there will bethe lagging of some pieces with respect to others and a disarray whichresults in loss of a book matching" sequence and loss of effi ciency inhandling the pieces at the grading table or other next step followingthe drying operation.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide atimed, automatically operating gate to assist in temporarily holding andaligning side-by-side pieces of material carrying along on conveyormeans.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an automaticgate means having a descending and lifting dead roller incorporatedtherewith so that when the gate is lifted the roller will descend andhelp to accomplish rapid and uniform discharge of the venee pieces.

In a broad aspect, the present invention provides automatic gate meansfor collecting and aligning a plurality of side-by-side pieces of sheetmaterial prior to transferring such pieces from accompanying conveyormeans to a next stage of handling and thereby improve the efficiency ofsuch handling, with such gate means comprising in combination: (a) aliftable, elongated gate member suitable for extending across the widthof said conveyor means; (b) power-operated retractable lift meansconnective with said gate member; (c) deflector-plate guide means forsheet-type materials mounted ahead of said gate member to preclude suchmaterials passing over the latter; and, (d) timing means connective withsaid retractable lift means, whereby resulting aligned pieces of thesheet-type materials at the gate member will be evenly and uniformlydischarged therefrom by the conveyor means.

manufacturing section or plant.

Various types of power operation may be used for lifting and loweringthe automatic gate that will extend along the width of the conveyor;however, typically, air cylinders or hydraulically-operated cylinderswill be utilized to effect the lifting and lowering of the gate meansresponsive to a solenoid valve in turn being triggered'by suitabletiming means. In connection with veneer pieces from a veneer dryingunit, there is typically a timing unit which feeds pieces of the veneerto the dryer itself and such timing unit may be connected toanelectrically operated air valve which will operate the gate means. Onthe other hand, electrical signals from the timing means may carrydirectly to an electrical switch and an electrically operated motormeans which will-lift the gate by suitable linkage means, gear and rackmeans, etc.

A preferred automatic gate unit will also incorporate a lifting andlowering type of dead roller which will serve to provide positivemovement of the veneer pieces from the gate position. More specifically,the dead roller will be integrated into the automatic lifting gate unitin a manner to-immediately lower itself to the level of the belt as thegate is being raised such that the weight of the dead roller onto thetop of the veneer pieces will insure good frictional contact onto themoving belts and the rapid movement of the aligned veneer pieces to anext belt or conveyor means, or to a sorting table, and the like.

Still further, the preferred automatic gate unit will embody mountingmeans in combination with the conveyor means such that it may be movedlongitudinally along the length of the conveyor belt means toaccommodate different lengths of veneer sheets. For example, where theveneer pieces or other sheet-like materials are relatively small, thegate unit may be moved relatively close to the discharge end of theconveyor unit such that there is a minimum time lag for collecting andaligning the veneer pieces as they are fed to the conveyor means. On theother hand, where there are relatively long pieces of sheet material, orveneer, then the automatic gate unit may necessarily be moved fartherfrom the dryer oven or other unit or other prior processing unit whichis feeding the pieces onto the receiving end of the conveyor means. Theautomatic gate means may be mounted on track means or slide rail meansand the like which extend along each side of the conveyor means, andthere may be manual adjustment to move the gate unit longitudinallyalong the conveyor means or, where desired, there may be a motoroperated means to effect the desired adjustment and positioning of thegate means with respect to the conveyor belts.

Reference to the accompanying drawing and the following descriptionsthereof will serve to illustrate the design and arrangement of oneembodiment of an automatic gate means for use in combination with aconveyor means so as to be able to effect the desired collection andalignment of a plurality of side-by-sidev pects in the use of theautomatic gate means as well as variations in construction aspects willbe noted in connection with the following description of the drawings.

FIG. 1 of the drawing is a diagrammatic elevational view indicating howthe automatic gate unit may be utilized in combination with a conveyorunit, such as a tailing conveyor receiving veneer pieces from a veneerdryer. This drawing also indicates diagrammatically how the timing unitat the dryer feeder section may be utilized to operate a solenoid valveand pneumatic cylinder for the raising and lowering of the automaticgate unit.

FIG. 2 of the drawing indicates in a partial elevational view theconstruction and operation for a pneumatically lifted gate member andthe linkage means for lowering and raising a dead roller in an oppositedirection with respect to the elongated gate member.

FIG. 3 of the drawing shows in a partial sectional elevational view theconstruction of a portion of the gate unit and the support of such uniton guide rail means, in accordance with line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 of the drawing is also a partial sectional elevational viewshowing, in accordance with line 4-4 in FIG. 2, one lifting cylinder andlinkage means for operating the transverse gate member.

Referring now to particularly FIG. 1 of the drawing, there is indicatedthe use of an automatic gate unit 1 which is mounted above a tailingconveyor 2 adapted to in turn receive side-by-side veneer sheets from aveneer dryer unit indicated at 3, with the latter in turn being fed cutpieces of veneer by a dryer feeder unit 4. Typically, the latter units,shown in dash lines, would apart but tied together by longitudinallystiffening angle means 16. Also, as best shown in FIG. 3 of the receivein sequential order various size pieces of veneer 4 from a conveyor beltmeans that is downstream from a clipper unit that has been used to cutunreeled veneer into desired lengths, or to cut out knots and blemishesfrom various lengths of the unreeled veneer.

There is also indicated diagrammatically in connection with FIG. 1 ofthe drawing the location ofa timing unit 5 which is conventionally usedto provide timed charges of side-by-side pieces of veneer from a tipplesection of the feeder unit directly to the drying unit. This timing unitis indicated as being connected by lines 6 and 7 to an electricallyoperated solenoid valve 8 whereby compressed air from line 9 will beutilized to control the pneumatic cylinders 10 in connection with theautomatic gate unit 1. As will be explained in more detail hereinafter,there are preferably two pneumatic cylinders utilized, with one on eachside of the gate unit such that there is a desired timed lifting andlowering of the gate responsive to the receiving of side-by-side batchesof veneer or other sheet-like material. There is also the indicationthat the gate controlled tailingconveyor 2 will discharge onto a sortingtable 11; however, such conveyor means may feed onto another conveyorwhich in turn will carry the aligned pieces to a different work stationor to another processing unit.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing, there is illustratedone construction and operation for an automatic gate unit whereby thereis a pneumatic cylinder type operation utilized for effecting thelifting and lowering of a transverse gate member 12. For the support ofthe entire automatic gate unit, there is indicated the use of acalibrated guide rail means 13 on each side of the conveyor belt means2. As portions of the framing for the automatic gate unit 1, there areprovided support members 14 and 15 which are spaced drawing, the supportmember 14 has a side member 17 and a filler piece 18- such that there isa slotted lower portion adapted to fit over the top of the guide railmeans 13. There is best shown in FIG.'4 of the drawing, in connectionwith support member 15, the use of an inner guide member 19 and fillermember 20 so as to provide a slotted portion to fit over the top of theguide rail means 13. FIGS. 3 and 4 merely show one side portion of theautomatic gate unit, and it is to be understood that similar butopposite hand sections will be embodied as part of the unit forattachment to a guide rail means extending along the opposite side ofthe conveyor belt means 2. There is also indicated in connection withthe side plate section 17, connecting to support 14, the use of threadedscrew members 21 extending through threaded nuts 22 as a means forclamping the gate onto the guide rail means and holding it in a desiredfixed position.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the support member 15 has a lowerhorizontal projection 15 which serves to hold the lower end of apneumatic cylinder 10 in a pivoted connection from support members 23 bypin means 24. The movable piston rod 25 from the upper end of pneumaticcylinder 10 connects through a pin connection 26 to a lift bar 27 thatcarries horizontally and then vertically downward through 27' to beattached to an angle member28 that extends across the top of gate member12. Although not fully shown in the drawing, the angle member 28together with the gate member 12 will extend transversely across theentire full width of the conveyor belt means in order to be able to stopand hold sheet material that will be traveling across the tailingconveyor 2. Also, in order to insure the stoppage of thin veneer orother sheettype materials, there may be small projections, such as woodcleats 29, spaced along the lower edge of the gate member 12 in a mannerto fit down between the plurality of belt sections comprising conveyormeans 2 so as to insure the holding of the veneer pieces being carriedalong on the belt means. Typically, the gate member 12 will be providedfrom a hard wood lumber; however, metals, plastics, or other materialsmay be used for the gate member and be suitable to engage wood veneerpieces that will abut against the gate during its momentary periods ofbeing lowered to the belt level for effecting the holding and aligningof the pieces carrying along the conveyor belt means.

The actual lifting operation, as heretofore described through the use ofpiston rod members 25, will be such that the operations of cylinders 10on each side of the unit will be simultaneously synchronized and pistonrod members 25 will move upwardly through a distance H" and subsequentlydescend together for the same distance H to insure the uniformhorizontal positioning of gate member 12. This simultaneous action foreach of the pneumatic cylinders 10 will be obtained as described inconnection with FIG. 1 by having the timed solenoid valve 8 open andclose the air supply from line 9 into lines 9a and 9b which in turncarry to the respective cylinders 10 on each side of the unit. Ofcourse, as the piston rod members 25 raise and lower through thedistance H", there is a corresponding vertical movement H for the gatemember 12 as shown in both FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawing.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, thepneumatic cylinder operation providing for the lifting and lowering ofthe gate member 12 will also provide for the raising and lowering of adead roller 30 indicated in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The roller 30 isshown supported by a bearing support member 31 extending from a pivotedarm member 32 which in turn connects with a pin member 33 carryingthrough an upper angle 34 above support member 14. The latter membersare also indicated in FIG. 3 which shows that the pivot arm member 32may be of a structural angle having the pin member 33 extend through thevertical leg portion thereof. Reference to FIGS. 2 and 4 show one formof linkage between arm member 27 which in turn connects through pinmember 26 to the top of piston rod 25 and that additional linkagesuspending from arm 27 will include a pin holding member 35, spacedplates 36, pins 37 and 38 together with a rocker arm 39 such that theremay be a connection through pin means 40 and supports 41 to the top ofpivot 8.1111 member 32. There is also shown a center pivot point andpivot pin 42 from a bracket 43 from support member that will provide forthe desired opposite motion in arm 32 and roller 30 with respect to themovement of gate member 12. In other words, when the latter is raisedabove belt means 2 a distance H, as shown in FIG. 2, then linkage means35, 36, and rocker arm 39 will provide for the pivot arm 32 to in turnbe in the lowered position with dead" roller 30 directly onto belt means2 whereby thin, veneer-type materials can actually be held against thebelt and insure a proper frictional con tact therewith for anon-slipping movement of aligned veneer-like pieces to move out fromunder gate means 12 as it is raised and off the end of the conveyormeans 2. Conversely, when gate member 12 is lowered to the belt level,in accordance with the dash lines shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, there is thedescending movement for a distance H at the lower end of linkage member36, and for the corresponding connecting end of rocker arm 39. Thus, atthe same time there is a tilting of the latter about center pivot point42 such that the opposing end of rocker arm 39, at pin 40, will raise adistance H to be in the dash line position to in turn lift the entirepivot arm member 32 about pivot point 33 such that the dead roller 30can be lifted to its dash line positioning well above the top ofconveyor belt 2. This overall operation insures that the roller means 30is out of the way to permit the movement of veneer pieces up to andagainst the inner surface of gate member 12 during the holding of analignment period. Following the lifting of gate member 12, there will bethe immediate dropping of roller 30 onto the top of the veneer pieces toinsure the desired rapid quick movement of such pieces along with therate of the belt movement.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown the use of an elongatedtransverse stiffener tube 44 which extends from clamping form of supportmeans 45 on an angle member 46 to an opposing side of the automatic gateunit where there is a similar opposite hand support arrangement. Thestiffener tube 44 is of particular advantage in providing support for atransverse deflector plate 47 that similarly extends across the entirewidth of conveyor belt means 2 to be coextensive with the gate member12. Also the clamp supports 46 for tube 44 provide rotativeadjustability for such tube As heretofore noted, a deflector plate suchas plate member 47 can be of specific utility in precluding the leadingend of a veneer-type strip from curling or bending upwardly and passingover the gate member 112. In other words, where wood veneer pieces aremoving on a conveyor belt following discharge from a dryer unit, theremay be some bowing or curling to a portion of a veneer piece which mightpermit such piece to contact the roller means 30 or slip up and over thegate member 12. Typically, the lower edge portion of deflector portion47 will be spaced a short distance above belt means 2 such that it willhold down and guide the leading edges of the veneer pieces up to andagainst the gate means 12. A deflector plate such as 47 may be mountedin the automatic gate unit in various manners; however, as shown by thepresent drawing, such deflector member may be mounted along the fulllength of the tube means 44 and have an angular positioning from thelatter with spaced stiffener rib means 48 connecting between lowerportions of tube 44 and the top surface of plate 47.

In FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawing, there is also indicated the use of asquare tubular form pivot member 49 which connects between the top ofthe gate member 12 and the top portion of stiffener tube 44, with thelatter connection being made by support lugs 50 and pin means 51. Pivotarm member 49 is indicated as being welded or otherwise fixibly attachedto angle member 28 which in turn is coextensive along the top of gatemember 12 whereby the latter is held in a general vertical alignment byrotation around pivot pin 51 on the top of transverse stiffener tube 44.Of course, as heretofore noted in connection with other support portionsof the unit, there will be a corresponding pivot arm member 49 at theother side of the automatic gate unit. The relatively long pivot arms 49which are provided at each end of the gate member 12, together with thelifting means as provided by pneumatic cylinders 10 and piston rodmembers 25 at each end of the unit, will result in a non-binding,pivoting support arrangement to accommodate the up and down motion forgate member 12 while at the same time insuring that the latter travelsthrough a substantially vertical path in making the timed lifting andlowering operations.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the arts of providing linkagemechanisms that various types of lift means may be provided to raise agate member upwardly and downwardly responsive to an electrically timedswitching operation and that the power operation may be provided throughmeans other than electrical solenoid valves and pneumatic cylinders;however, the present embodiment does provide means for effecting a quickresponse to signals from varying means such as a timing unit at the feedend of a dryer oven. Also, as hereinbefore briefly noted, there may beelectrical motor driven raising and lowering means, such as gearing,rack and pinion, or crank arm means, etc., that may well effect thedesired raising and lowering operation. However, in the present improvedcombined and integrated automatic gate unit, which incorporates the useof dead roller means operating in reverse motion with respect to theraising and lowering of the gate means, there is the desired rapid andpositive movement of thin veneer-like pieces when the gate member isbeing lifted. Still further, there is incorporated in the present unitan improved transverse deflector means which will operate in combinationwith the raising and lowering gate and roller means such that thinsheet-like materials will be precluded from curling and bending orotherwise lifting from the conveyor means to become entangled with thegate means or pass thereover. Although the automatic gate use is ofparticular advantage with thin wood veneers from a drying oven, it isagain to be noted that such type of gate unit may well be used inconnection with other processing units to provide for the temporaryholding and alignment of side-by-side movement of pieces and thensubsequently effect the rapid uniform discharge of such pieces from theconveyor means to a next conveyor or to a work station.

I claim as my invention:

1. Automatic gate means for collecting and aligning a plurality ofside-by-side pieces of sheet material prior to transferring such piecesfrom accompanying conveyor means to a next stage of handling and therebyimprove the efficiency of such handling, with such gate means comprisingin combination:

a. a liftable, elongated gate member suitable for extending over andacross the width of said conveyor means;

b. power-operated retractable lift means connective with said gatemember;

c. deflector-plate guide means for sheet-type materials mounted ahead ofsaid gate member to preclude such materials passing over the latter;and,

d. timing means connective with said retractable lift means, wherebyresulting aligned pieces of the sheet-type materials at the gate memberwill be intermittently discharged therefrom by the conveyor means.

2. The automatic gate means of claim 1 further characterized in that aliftable transverse roller is pivotally supported above said conveyormeans with pivot means and linkage means that are connective with saidpoweroperated retractable lift means for said gate member and suchlinkage means provides movement of the roller in a direction opposite tothat of the gate member.

3. The automatic gate means of claim 2 still further characterized inthat such linkage means between the retractable lift means and theroller means includes a pivot rocker arm linkage member whereby thelifting of the gate member and the one end of the rocker member willprovide a descending movement for support means connective to saidtransverse roller means while conversely the power-operated downwardmovement for the gate member provides upward movement of the supportmeans to the roller member and the lifting of the latter from above theconveyor means.

4. The automatic gate means of claim 1 further characterized in thatsaid deflector-plate guide means is connected to a coextensivetransverse stiffener member which is adjustably mounted, whereby therecan be angular adjustment in the positioning of said guide means.

5. The automatic gate means of claim 1 further characterized in thatsaid power-operated retractable lift means comprises pneumatic cylindermeans, with at least one cylinder being provided adjacent each end ofthe liftable gate member.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that said timingmeans connecting with said retractable lift means to operate said gatemember is interconnected with timing for feeding means for said sheetmaterial reaching said conveyor means, with such feeding means providingfor the batch charge of side-by-side pieces reaching said conveyor meansand said automatic gate means.

7. The automatic gate means of claim 1 further characterized in thatsupport means on each side thereof provide for a clamping attachment torail type guide means which may extend along each side of said conveyormeans whereby there is adjustable positioning for said gate means alongthe length of said conveyor means.

8. The automatic gate means of claim 1 further characterized in thatsaid gate member has spaced lower projections that are positionedthereon with respect to spaced belts providing said conveyor means,whereby stop means will project below the overall level of the conveyorand preclude passage of any sheet material under a lowered gate member.

1. Automatic gate means for collecting and aligning a plurality ofside-by-side pieces of sheet material prior to transferring such piecesfrom accompanying conveyor means to a next stage of handling and therebyimprove the efficiency of such handling, with such gate means comprisingin combination: a. a liftable, elongated gate member suitable forextending over and across the width of said conveyor means; b.power-operated retractable lift means connective with said gate member;c. deflector-plate guide means for sheet-type materials mounted ahead ofsaid gate member to preclude such materials passing over the latter;and, d. timing means connective with said retractable lift means,whereby resulting aligned pieces of the sheet-type materials at the gatemember will be intermittently discharged therefrom by the conveyormeans.
 2. The automatic gate means of claim 1 further characterized inthat a liftable transverse rOller is pivotally supported above saidconveyor means with pivot means and linkage means that are connectivewith said power-operated retractable lift means for said gate member andsuch linkage means provides movement of the roller in a directionopposite to that of the gate member.
 3. The automatic gate means ofclaim 2 still further characterized in that such linkage means betweenthe retractable lift means and the roller means includes a pivot rockerarm linkage member whereby the lifting of the gate member and the oneend of the rocker member will provide a descending movement for supportmeans connective to said transverse roller means while conversely thepower-operated downward movement for the gate member provides upwardmovement of the support means to the roller member and the lifting ofthe latter from above the conveyor means.
 4. The automatic gate means ofclaim 1 further characterized in that said deflector-plate guide meansis connected to a coextensive transverse stiffener member which isadjustably mounted, whereby there can be angular adjustment in thepositioning of said guide means.
 5. The automatic gate means of claim 1further characterized in that said power-operated retractable lift meanscomprises pneumatic cylinder means, with at least one cylinder beingprovided adjacent each end of the liftable gate member.
 6. The apparatusof claim 1 further characterized in that said timing means connectingwith said retractable lift means to operate said gate member isinterconnected with timing for feeding means for said sheet materialreaching said conveyor means, with such feeding means providing for thebatch charge of side-by-side pieces reaching said conveyor means andsaid automatic gate means.
 7. The automatic gate means of claim 1further characterized in that support means on each side thereof providefor a clamping attachment to rail type guide means which may extendalong each side of said conveyor means whereby there is adjustablepositioning for said gate means along the length of said conveyor means.8. The automatic gate means of claim 1 further characterized in thatsaid gate member has spaced lower projections that are positionedthereon with respect to spaced belts providing said conveyor means,whereby stop means will project below the overall level of the conveyorand preclude passage of any sheet material under a lowered gate member.